Best answer: The standard eero and eero Pro can be the start of a mesh or can be used as expansion nodes, with the Pro being capable of faster speeds. The eero Beacon serves to simply expand the existing wireless mesh and can’t exist on its own, but it’s compact and easy to hide.
- Entry-level mesh: eero (3-pack) ($199 at Amazon)
- A faster eero mesh: eero Pro (3-pack) ($499 at Amazon)
- Expand the mesh: eero Beacon ($149 at Amazon)
More speed with eero Pro
The first consideration in an eero mesh network is whether you want to start with the standard eero or the faster eero Pro. The standard eero covers approximately 1,500 square feet and has two Ethernet ports on the back. Wi-Fi speeds will be good enough for most connections but heavier users with internet speeds over 550Mbps might see some slowdown at peak download times. Still, the speeds with eero should be more than enough for typical web browsing and even video streams at 4K.
If you need more speed and coverage from a single unit, starting with one or more eero Pros will be faster with a tri-band Wi-Fi setup and 1,750 square feet of coverage from a single unit. It also has two Ethernet ports on each unit. It is a bit larger than the other eero products but still far from big especially when compared to a traditional router. Eero Pro is 4.76 inches in width and length and only 1.26 inches thick compared to the eero’s 3.86-inch width and length and 2.36-inch thickness.
Expanding the mesh
If you want to add even more capacity to your eero mesh, the eero Beacon is one of the best options with dual-band speeds that match the standard eero and a compact design that helps it stay out of the way. It comes in at 4.76 inches long, 2.91 inches wide and just 1.18 inches thick excluding the electric prongs.
Though it doesn’t have any Ethernet ports for any kind of wired expansion, its size and the inclusion of the night light make it an easy addition to any room that needs a bit more Wi-Fi service. Like the standard eero, the Beacon is based on a dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi setup and can add approximately 1,500 square feet of coverage to your mesh. As a wireless expansion option, the main difference between the two is that the Beacon will connect directly to the wall and the eero will need somewhere to sit.
One of the best eero features is that all eero models, current and past, will be able to work together so you have plenty of options to expand your existing eero mesh system.
Our pick
eero (3-pack)
$199 at Amazon $200 at Best Buy
Enough speed for most applications
Start your mesh network with room to grow with more eero routers. Each router has two Ethernet ports and covers 1,500 square feet with dual-band Wi-Fi.
Faster eero
eero Pro (3-pack)
$499 at Amazon
$499 at Best Buy
An upgrade on speed and coverage
Tri-band Wi-Fi in eero Pro allows dual 5GHz bands to keep speeds high even as your mesh grows. It still keeps its compact size and dual Ethernet ports too.
Expand your eero mesh
eero Beacon
$149 at Amazon
$149 at Best Buy
Add capacity with no extra wires
Add coverage to your eero mesh without running any extra wires with the eero Beacon. It’s a great option for a hallway with a night light included.
